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Lebanon
corners
the
Kuwaiti
F&B
market
Shaikh Nawaf Mubarak
Abdullah Al-Jaber Al
Sabah, currently the
chairman of Standard
Arabian Business and
Enterprises Company
(SABECO), talks of his
future projects with
Lebanese brands.
How would you describe the
current F&B market in Kuwait?
The market is energetic,
competitive, creative, aggressive,
and demanding. However, it lacks
restaurants with high standards
that offer both a pleasant
ambiance and good cuisine. We
aim to achieve that perfect
combination of food and mood in
our future restaurants.
What brands are you
introducing into the Kuwaiti
market?
SABECO is currently preparing for
early 2012 the opening of
Margherita Pizzeria Del Quartiere
Dal 1959, which will introduce to
Kuwait wooden baked pizza and
fresh Italian food. Margherita
Kuwait will reproduce experience
of the original outlet located in
Gemmayzeh, Beirut. It will offer
its signature pizzas in addition to
classic favorites, as well as new
creations for the Kuwaiti market.
At the same time we will also
open Semsom, a trendy Lebanese
restaurant that will serve in
addition to all the cuisine classics,
40 innovative and signature dishes
found only at Semsom. The
International Herald Tribune
dubbed Semsom an “unmissable
hotspot in Beirut” and Semsom
Kuwait will definitely be the place
to visit.
Margherita and Semsom will cater
to the mid to low-end market
The Danish Bakery
segments. Our target will be people looking
for delicious food and good atmosphere.
How are Lebanese born brands faring on
the Kuwaiti F&B market?
Today, Lebanon has become the Middle East
reservoir of new restaurant concepts locally
born and bred. Lebanese people have created
successful restaurants in Beirut and were able
to successfully franchise their restaurants in
Kuwait and the GCC by properly transferring
their knowledge and know-how.
Lebanese cuisine is very much appreciated
here, and major Lebanese food franchise
restaurants are present in Kuwait. Additionally,
several Lebanese franchise restaurants, not
serving Lebanese food, have challenged
international competition.
The success of Lebanese born brands is also
due to the similarity in taste between the
Lebanese and the Kuwaiti people. For a long
time, Lebanon and its restaurants have been
well known to Kuwaitis, due to frequent travel
to and continuous presence in Lebanon.
What are the challenges of investing in
franchised brands?
The main challenge is to maintain a solid and
efficient business relationship with the
franchisor. Another one is to offer identical
dishes with identical tastes using the exact
same ingredients. Also to convince the
franchisor to adapt and tune their concept to
meet the local taste should the need arise,
without of course changing the concept’s core
values.
What is in the pipeline today?
In the second half of 2012, SABECO is
preparing to open four new outlets offering
easy-eating food, which will cater to a wide
segment of Kuwait’s population. This project
is being finalized now.
Kuwait news by
h o d e m a . n e t
Based in Kuwait, the Danish Bakery has recently
reshuffled its corporate image, and moved to larger
premises close to its original location with a state-of-theart kitchen, a retail area and a café with a private
outdoor garden. Gurli Al Hajery created the Danish
Bakery in Kuwait’s area of Al Yarmouk in 1991. She
began by preparing cakes, coffee, sweets, fatayyer and
savories. As its reputation spread, by word-of-mouth,
the bakery developed its offering. With 200 items on the
menu, it also caters for private functions and special
events with a multinational staff of more than 50. In
close collaboration with the owners, Beirut’s Design
Workshop created the Danish Bakery’s new look.
danishbakery.com
Is Kuwait the next destination for
an ice structure?
After the successful launch of the Magic Ice Museum in
Turkey, the GM of the Norwegian developer Lofoten
Trading believes Kuwait could soon be the first to host
ice structures in the GCC. "We are close to a deal with a
Kuwait-based investment company. This company sees
a big potential in taking the concept to the Middle East,"
he states. Today, Lofoten is planning on building a hotel
in Istanbul including an ice restaurant and an ice bar.
lofoten.info
Nestlé Toll House
Nestlé Toll House Café by Chip, a premiere bakery and
dessert bar, launched its first restaurant in Kuwait in
Abu Al Hasaniya’s The Village. This is the second café
opening, in a short time, for Royal Food Services
Company, which is planning to set up a minimum of 48
cafés in the UAE, Jordan and Kuwait.
nestletollhouse.net
Smashburger
The Denver-based burger chain with 118 stores in the
United States will open its first international location
next year in the Middle East. Smashburger has signed
agreements to open 17 stores in Kuwait, Bahrain and
Saudi Arabia.
smashburger.com
Al Shaya partners with Teavana
Teavana is a specialty tea and tea accessory retailer
based in Atlanta, Georgia. It currently operates over 150
company-owned stores in 35 states in the U.S. and
Mexico. Teavana International announced it has signed a
franchise development agreement with the Al Shaya
group of companies for the development of its stores in
Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, KSA, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar
and UAE.
alshaya.com
Hospitality News - N° 78 - OCT / NOV 2011 - 21